Fishing report

By Bill Hamilton
Special to the Coastal Point

Joe Morris from Lewes Harbor Marina says the flounder fishing is really good at the Star Site Reef, the Brown Shoal Reef and in the ocean at Reef Sites “9” and “10.” Anything around structure is producing nice catches. Joe also said the croakers are stacked up in the Shipping Channel and around the inner and outer walls. These fish had slowed for a couple of days, but have made a “big” return. Jake Knox, from Townsend, Del., caught a 10-pound, six-ounce flounder while fishing Reef Site “10.” Roger Kates, from Harrington, Del., caught a nine-pound, six-ounce flounder while fishing at the Brown Shoal Reef. Both fish were weighed at Lewes Harbor Marina.

Rick’s Tackle reports lots of throw-back flounder in Indian River Bay, with a few keepers, and lots of croakers from the back bay to the Bell buoy outside the inlet. Bill Kenton and a friend from Ocean View, Del., fished the Indian River Inlet this week and caught over 20 flounder — all were released. None made the legal limit of 17.5-inches.

At the Cape Henlopen Pier, which is a great place to take kids fishing, Vicki reports lots of croakers, spot, flounder, some snapper blues and small trout at night.

The headboats from Lewes and Indian River report some good trips and some fair trips with catches of flounder, croakers (if they catch the right tide), and mixed catches of sea bass.

Fishing from the jetty and sea wall at Indian River has produced some good catches of stripers this week, however, most are being caught after dark. Croaker fishing remains strong and the bluefish are blitzing the inlet on the incoming tide. Buck tails, spoons and gotcha plugs work well for the bluefish, and life eels, rigged eels, live spot, plugs (bomber baits) or rebel wind-cheaters are good for the stripers. Bud Johnson from Alexandria, Va., caught a 35-inch striper on a black and purple bomber, while fishing off the south jetty at night!

One of our customers, Sandy Rawley, fishing on his boat, the Alyssa-Ann, slipped down to the OC Inlet and caught 22 croakers up to 16 inches in length.

The story this week on off-shore fishing has been the White Marlin Open, and I would like to congratulate all the boats and anglers who participated in the event. Lots of white and blue marlin were caught and missed, along with tuna, wahoo, dolphin and some king mackerel. The best marlin bite appeared to be in the 100-1,000 fathom of the Poorman/Washington Canyons, where the tuna remain scattered.

Capt. Dick Peoples on the Spectacle, out of Indian River, with angler Dave Seacrest from Pennsylvania and two others from New York, with mate Jeff Kovak, caught one 123-pound bluefin tuna, a 34-pound yellowfin and released several other bluefin, while chunking at the Lumpy Bottom.

Surf fishing along the Delaware coast remains the same with lots of small fish being caught — spot, croakers, kingfish, trout, skates and some sharks at night. Charles Kongro from Aberdeen, Md., caught a 14-inch speckled trout, several gray trout, and some spot while fishing the surf at South Bethany.

“We are slamming croakers (sometimes two at a time), nice kingfish, an occasional snapper bluefish,” said Bill Davis from Sherwood, Md. Bill has been fishing off the Fenwick State Beach using Fish-Bites, the artificial bloodworms and squid.

Until next week — take a kid fishing.

Bill Hamilton is co-owner of B & R Bait & Tackle in South Bethany.